The subject of the book: its character and force

Here, in Titus, the apostle says expressly that he had left him
in Crete to set in order things that were yet wanting, and to
establish elders in every city. Although more or less the same
dangers presented themselves to the mind of Paul as when writing
to Timothy, yet we find that the apostle enters at once upon his
subject, with a calmness which shows that his mind was not
pre-occupied in the same way with those dangers, and that the
Spirit could engage him more entirely with the ordinary walk of
the assembly; so that this epistle is much more simple in its
character. The walk that becomes Christians, with regard to the
maintenance of order in their relationships to each other, and the
great principles on which this walk is founded, form the subject
of the book. The state of the assembly comes but little before
us. Truths that flow more entirely from the christian revelation,
and that characterise it, have more place in this epistle than in
those addressed to Timothy. On the other hand, prophecies
concerning the future condition of Christianity, and the
development of the decline that had already commenced, are not
repeated here. While stating in a remarkable way certain truths
with respect to Christianity, the tone of the epistle is more
calm, more ordinary.

The promise of life and the revelation of God as the Father
distinguishing Christianity from Judaism

The promise of life is particularly spoken of here as well as
in Timothy. Moreover this promise distinguishes Christianity, and
the revelation of God (as the Father) in Christ, from
Judaism.

The great boundaries of Christianity set forth as characterising
Paul's apostleship and the subject of his ministry

But in this epistle the great boundaries of Christianity are
set forth at the outset. The faith of the elect, the truth which
is according to godliness, the promise before the world began of
eternal life, and the manifestation of the word of God through
preaching, are the subjects of the introduction. The title of
"Saviour" is here, as in Timothy, added to the name of God as well
as to that of Christ.

The revelation of a life subsisting before the world was: the
faith of the elect

This introduction is not without importance. That which it
contains is presented to Titus by the apostle as characterising
his apostleship, and as the special subject of his ministry. It
was not a development of Judaism, but the revelation of a life and
of a promise of life which subsisted (that is, in Christ, the
object of the divine counsels) before the world was. Accordingly
faith was found, not in the confession of the Jews, but in the
elect brought by grace to the knowledge of the truth. It was the
faith of the elect: this is an important truth, and that which
characterises faith in the world. Others may indeed adopt it as a
system; but faith is in itself the faith of the elect. Among the
Jews this was not the case. The public confession of their
doctrine, and confidence in the promises of God, belonged to every
one who was born an Israelite. Others may pretend to the christian
faith; but it is the faith of the elect. Its character is such
that human nature neither embraces it nor conceives it, but finds
it to be a stumbling-stone. It discloses a relationship with God,
which to nature is inconceivable and at the same time presumptuous
and insupportable. To the elect it is the joy of their soul, the
light of their understanding, and the sustainment of their
heart. It places them in a relationship with God which is all that
their heart can desire, but which depends entirely on that which
God is; and this the believer desires. It is a personal
relationship with God Himself; therefore it is the faith of God's
elect. Hence also it is for all the Gentiles as well as the
Jews.

Faith in the heart and confession of the truth before men

This faith of God's elect has an intimate character in relation
to God Himself. It rests on Him, it knows the secret of His
eternal counsels -- that love which made the elect the object of
His counsels. But there is another character connected with it,
namely, confession before men. There is the revealed truth by
which God makes Himself known, and claims the submission of man's
mind and the homage of his heart. This truth places the soul in a
true relationship with God. It is truth according to
godliness. The confession of the truth therefore is an important
character of Christianity, and of the Christian. There is in the
heart the faith of the elect, personal faith in God and in the
secret of His love; and there is confession of the truth.

The hope of faith -- eternal life having its source in God

Now that which formed the hope of this faith was not earthly
prosperity, a numerous posterity, the earthly blessing of a people
whom God acknowledged as His own. It was life eternal, promised of
God in Christ before the world was, outside the world and the
divine government of the world and the development of the character
of Jehovah in that government. It was eternal life. It is in
connection with the nature and with the character of God Himself;
and, having its source in Him, proceeding from Him, it was the
thought of His grace, and declared to be such in Christ, before a
world existed into which the first man was introduced in
responsibility (his failure in which is his history up to Christ
the second Man, and the cross in which He bore its consequences for
us, and obtained that eternal life for us in its full glory with
Himself), and which was the sphere of the development of God's
government over that which was subject to Him -- a very different
thing from the communion of a life by which one participates in His
nature, and which is its reflection. This is the hope of the gospel
(for we are not speaking of the assembly here), the secret treasure
of the faith of the elect, of which the revealed word assures
us.

Life eternal promised before the world began

"Promised before the world began" is a remarkable and important
expression. One is admitted into the thoughts of God before the
existence of this changing and mingled scene, which bears witness
of the frailty and sin of the creature -- of the patience of God,
and His ways in grace and in government. Eternal life is connected
with the unchangeable nature of God; with counsels which are as
abiding as His nature, with His promises, in which He cannot
deceive us, and to which He cannot be unfaithful. Our portion in
life existed before the foundation of the world, not only in the
counsels of God, not only in the Person of the Son, but in the
promises made to the Son as our portion in Him. It was the subject
of those communications from the Father to the Son, of which we
were the objects, the Son being their depositary.* Marvellous
knowledge which has been given us of the heavenly communication of
which the Son was the object, in order that we might understand the
interest which we have in the thoughts of God, of which we were the
objects in Christ before all the ages! {*Compare Proverbs 8: 30,
31, and Luke 2: 14, and Psalm 40: 6-8, "hast thou opened" being
really, "thou hast dug ears for me" -- that is, prepared a body,
the place of obedience, or a servant (Phil. 2); so translated by
LXX, and accepted in Hebrews as just.}

The Word as the communication of God's eternal thoughts in Christ, the revelation on which faith is founded

That which the word is becomes also more clear to us through
this passage. The word is the communication, in time, of the
eternal thoughts of God Himself in Christ. It finds man under the
power of sin, and reveals peace and deliverance, and it shows how
he can have part in the result of God's thoughts. But these
thoughts themselves are nothing else than the plan, the eternal
purpose, of His grace in Christ, to bestow on us everlasting life
in Christ -- a life which existed in God before the world was. The
word is preached, manifested (that is, the revelation of the
thoughts of God in Christ). Now those thoughts gave us eternal life
in Christ; and this was promised before the ages. The elect,
believing, know it, and possess the life itself. They have the
witness in themselves; but the word is the public revelation on
which faith is founded, and which has universal authority over the
consciences of men, whether they receive it or not. Just as in 2
Timothy 1: 9, 10, it is presented as salvation, but then made
manifest.

Faith in a personally held, known truth: the varied presentation of the gospel by Peter, Paul and John

It will be observed that faith here, is faith in a personally
held, known, truth; a faith which only the elect can have, who
possess the truth as God teaches it. "The faith" is used also for
Christianity as a system in contrast with Judaism. Here it is the
secret of God in contrast with a law promulgated to an outward
people. This promise, which dated from before the revealed ages,
and which was sovereign in its application, was especially
committed to the apostle Paul that he might announce it by
preaching. To Peter the gospel was committed more as the fulfilment
of the promises made to the fathers, which Paul also recognises,
with the evangelical events that confirmed and developed them by
the power of God manifested in the resurrection of Jesus, the
witness of the power of this life. John presents life more in the
Person of Christ and then imparted to us, the characteristic fruits
of which he sets forth.

Paul's greater intimacy of confidence in Timothy: why Titus was left in Crete: invested with authority and instructed to render him competent

We shall find that the apostle has not the same intimacy of
confidence in Titus as in Timothy. He does not open his heart to
him in the same way. Titus is a beloved and faithful servant of God
and also the apostle's son in the faith; but Paul does not open his
heart to him in the same manner -- does not communicate to him his
anxieties, his complainings -- does not pour out his soul to him --
as he did to Timothy. To tell of all one sees that is
heart-breaking and disquieting in the work one is engaged in --
that is the proof of confidence. One has confidence with regard to
the work, and one speaks of it with regard to oneself, with regard
to all, and there is no restraint, no measuring how far one ought
to speak of oneself, of what one feels, of all things. This the
apostle does with Timothy, and the Holy Ghost has been pleased to
portray it for us. In writing to Timothy doctrine above all
occupied the apostle's mind: by its means the enemy wrought and
endeavoured to ruin the assembly. Bishops only come into mind as an
accessory thing. Here they have a primary place. Paul had left
Titus in Crete to set in order the things that were yet wanting,
and to ordain elders in every city, as he had already commanded
him. It is not here a question of the desire any one might have to
become a bishop, nor (in that view) of describing the character
suitable to this charge, but of appointing them; and for this task
Titus was furnished with authority on the apostle's part. The
necessary qualifications are made known to him, in order that he
might be able to decide according to apostolic wisdom. So that on
the one hand he was invested by the apostle with authority to
appoint them, and on the other hand instructed by him with respect
to the requisite qualifications. Apostolic authority and wisdom
concurred to render him competent to perform this grave and
important work.

Apostolic care: Titus' approved fidelity furnished with Paul's own authority: authority in the assembly of God

We see also that this apostolic delegate was authorised to set
in order that which was necessary to the welfare of the assemblies
in Crete. Already founded, they yet needed directions with regard
to many details of their walk; and apostolic care was requisite to
give them these, as well as for the establishment of functionaries
in the assemblies. This task the apostle had committed to the
approved fidelity of Titus, furnished with his own authority by
word of mouth and here in writing; so that to reject Titus was to
reject the apostle and consequently the Lord who had sent
him. Authority in the assembly of God is a serious thing -- a thing
that proceeds from God Himself. It can be exercised through
influence by the gift of God; by functionaries, when God
establishes them by instruments whom He has chosen and sent for
this purpose.

The qualifications of a bishop

It is not necessary here to enter upon the detail of
qualifications that were needed to fill the office of bishop
suitably. They are, in the main, the same as those mentioned in the
epistle to Timothy. They are qualities, not gifts; qualities --
outward, moral, and circumstantial -- that proved the fitness of
the individual for the charge of watching over others. It may
perhaps occasion surprise that the absence of gross misconduct
should have a place here; but the assemblies were more simple than
people think, and the persons of whom they were composed had but
recently come out from the most deplorable habits; and therefore a
previous conduct that commanded the respect of others was necessary
to give weight to the exercise of the office of superintendence.
It was also needful that he who was invested with this charge
should be able to convince gainsayers. For they would have to do
with such, especially among the Jews, who were always and
everywhere active in opposition to the truth, and subtle in
perverting the mind.

The character of the Cretans

The character of the Cretans occasioned other difficulties, and
required the exercise of peremptory authority; Judaism mingled
itself with the effect of this national character. It was needful
to be firm and to act with authority, that they might continue
sound in the faith.

Ordinances and traditions: talk of knowing God but denying Him in their works

Moreover, he had still to speak concerning ordinances and
traditions, those evil plagues in the church of God which provoke
Him to jealousy, and which, by exalting man, are opposed to His
grace. One thing was not pure, another was forbidden by an
ordinance. God claims the heart. To the pure all things are pure;
for him whose heart is defiled it needs not to go out of himself to
find that which is impure; but convenient, in order to be able to
forget what is within. The mind and conscience are already
corrupt. They talk of knowing God, but in their works they deny
Him, being unprofitable and reprobate as regards every work really
good.